West Palm Beach, Fla.— Senior Zane Gonzalez has been named one of the three finalists for the 25th Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award by a national panel of college football experts and announced by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission Monday afternoon. Gonzalez is joined on the three-man finalist list by Daniel Carlson (Auburn) and Younghoe Koo (Georgia Southern).
Gonzalez, a senior from Deer Park, Texas, will finish his four-year career as the all-time FBS leader in made field goals and points by a kicker. His 23-for-24 season leads the nation in both number and accuracy of field goals. Those kicks have come from an average of 40.9 yards away, hitting a national-best 13 from at least 40 yards and a remarkable 7-for-8 from over 50. That mark, the second-most ever from long distance in an FBS season, includes the longest FG of the year, a 59 yarder that was also the kick to give him the all-time record for career points by a kicker.
Through the season, Gonzalez has claimed four Lou Groza Star of the Week honors, the most by any kicker in the country and one more than the other two finalists combined. With his four 'Star of the Week' honors this season, Gonzalez has earned an unprecedented six career Groza honors, topping 2014 Groza Award winner Robert Aguayo's mark of five career 'Star of the Week' recognitions. Gonzalez is one of two players in the country to earn the award in back-to-back weeks this season as Ole Miss' Gary Wunderlich earned the recognition the past two weeks.
Carlson, a junior from Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the nation's top-scoring kicker, tallying 115 points on 22 field goals and 43 extra points. His 22 made FGs tie for second in FBS, and give him 63 for his career, making him Auburn's all-time record holder with a year still to play. A finalist for the Lou Groza Award last year as well, he has yet to miss on 140 career PAT attempts, the longest streak ever at Auburn and second in SEC history. Three times this season he provided Auburn's margin of victory, including a 6-FG game against LSU in which he scored every point in an 18-13 win.
Koo, a senior from Ridgewook, New Jersey, set the Georgia Southern record with 14 consecutive made field goals, a stretch snapped only by a missed 54-yard attempt going into halftime against Ole Miss. That would be his only miss on the season, finishing 19-for-20 for a 95.0% accuracy rate that ranked third in the nation. The 19 total FGs ties the Eagles' all-time record, while his career 88.6% accuracy easily tops the school record books. Koo's season is highlighted by his 4-for-4 FG performance against Arkansas State that included a season-long 53 yarder.
Gonzalez will look to join Thomas Weber as the second ASU kicker to win the award. Weber set a Sun Devil record in 2007 by successfully kicking the first 17 of his field goals and kicked 22 of his 23 tries during the season.
This year, fans can have their part in naming the winner of the Lou Groza Award. Fans can visit www.lougrozaaward.com and cast a vote for their favorite of the three finalists selected by the national panel of voters. The finalist who receives the greatest total of fan votes will be given one vote on the final ballot. One vote can make a difference in the final outcome so fans are encouraged to participate.
The three finalists will be honored at the 25th Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Awards Banquet on Monday, December 5th at the Palm Beach Gardens Marriott in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. For more information on the Groza Award and the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, visit www.palmbeachsports.com.
The three Lou Groza Award finalists will be highlighted on ESPNU during The Home Depot College Football Awards Nomination Special airing Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 5 p.m. ET.
This year's Lou Groza Award winner will be revealed on ESPN during The Home Depot College Football Awards Show airing live from the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta on Thursday, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. ET.
The Lou Groza Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 22 awards boast 722 years of tradition-selection excellence. To learn more about the NFCAA www.NCFAA.org.
Gonzalez, a senior from Deer Park, Texas, will finish his four-year career as the all-time FBS leader in made field goals and points by a kicker. His 23-for-24 season leads the nation in both number and accuracy of field goals. Those kicks have come from an average of 40.9 yards away, hitting a national-best 13 from at least 40 yards and a remarkable 7-for-8 from over 50. That mark, the second-most ever from long distance in an FBS season, includes the longest FG of the year, a 59 yarder that was also the kick to give him the all-time record for career points by a kicker.
Through the season, Gonzalez has claimed four Lou Groza Star of the Week honors, the most by any kicker in the country and one more than the other two finalists combined. With his four 'Star of the Week' honors this season, Gonzalez has earned an unprecedented six career Groza honors, topping 2014 Groza Award winner Robert Aguayo's mark of five career 'Star of the Week' recognitions. Gonzalez is one of two players in the country to earn the award in back-to-back weeks this season as Ole Miss' Gary Wunderlich earned the recognition the past two weeks.
Carlson, a junior from Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the nation's top-scoring kicker, tallying 115 points on 22 field goals and 43 extra points. His 22 made FGs tie for second in FBS, and give him 63 for his career, making him Auburn's all-time record holder with a year still to play. A finalist for the Lou Groza Award last year as well, he has yet to miss on 140 career PAT attempts, the longest streak ever at Auburn and second in SEC history. Three times this season he provided Auburn's margin of victory, including a 6-FG game against LSU in which he scored every point in an 18-13 win.
Koo, a senior from Ridgewook, New Jersey, set the Georgia Southern record with 14 consecutive made field goals, a stretch snapped only by a missed 54-yard attempt going into halftime against Ole Miss. That would be his only miss on the season, finishing 19-for-20 for a 95.0% accuracy rate that ranked third in the nation. The 19 total FGs ties the Eagles' all-time record, while his career 88.6% accuracy easily tops the school record books. Koo's season is highlighted by his 4-for-4 FG performance against Arkansas State that included a season-long 53 yarder.
Gonzalez will look to join Thomas Weber as the second ASU kicker to win the award. Weber set a Sun Devil record in 2007 by successfully kicking the first 17 of his field goals and kicked 22 of his 23 tries during the season.
This year, fans can have their part in naming the winner of the Lou Groza Award. Fans can visit www.lougrozaaward.com and cast a vote for their favorite of the three finalists selected by the national panel of voters. The finalist who receives the greatest total of fan votes will be given one vote on the final ballot. One vote can make a difference in the final outcome so fans are encouraged to participate.
The three finalists will be honored at the 25th Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Awards Banquet on Monday, December 5th at the Palm Beach Gardens Marriott in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. For more information on the Groza Award and the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, visit www.palmbeachsports.com.
The three Lou Groza Award finalists will be highlighted on ESPNU during The Home Depot College Football Awards Nomination Special airing Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 5 p.m. ET.
This year's Lou Groza Award winner will be revealed on ESPN during The Home Depot College Football Awards Show airing live from the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta on Thursday, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. ET.
The Lou Groza Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 22 awards boast 722 years of tradition-selection excellence. To learn more about the NFCAA www.NCFAA.org.
